Christmas Poem 2016

A new Christmas (C) poem by Tony Fallon.

It was the Sunday before Christmas in Dublin Ireland
The decorations and lights surely looked grand.
There was frost in the air and a cold tingle in my feet,
As I made my way sadly down O’Connell Street.
I couldn’t call the parents they hadn’t a phone
amongst thousands of people, I felt so alone.

Like so many others I had come to the city for work,
It was that or go to England or off to New York
My mind was full of excitement the day I arrived,
But the cost of living was high and I barely survived.
I wanted to go home but the bank book was bare,
So I knew I couldn’t afford a bus ticket or a train fare.

The day before Christmas I worked half a day
Back in the flat, the other lads had all gone away.
I thought I’d be ok alone in Dublin but it was no use,
In my head, I could see last year’s big roasted goose
And all of the young ones playing with their new toys
And Mary Ellen and I dressed up as wren boys.

And the oul fella and I went out walking with the hound
hoping to catch a rabbit before he went into the ground.
Our thoughts on the sports scene we did gladly share,
And the next thing we knew the hound rose up a hare.
He came back with his tongue out but enjoyed the chase,
Even in defeat a hound has so much grace

So after moping around I decide at three O’clock,
To hop on a bus and head out thru Lucan to Kilcock

I decided that town would be my launching pad
A half an hour later a car stopped going to Kinnegad
I treated the driver in Coyne’s to a warm cup of tea.
And we admired through the window the big Christmas tree.

The barman knew a young fellow by the name of Hannon,
After a stop in Moate I was on the other side of the Shannon.
Forty-five minutes later there descended on me such gloom,
I thought I’d be stuck forever on the road in Kiltoom.
Looking back over the years now I hardly believe,
That I tried to hitchhike to Roscommon on Christmas Eve.

It was cold it was windy I thought I felt a flurry,
When along came a young lad with a chicken lorry.
The time was fast approaching ten O’clock,
And I listened in silence to what was left of his flock.
In Ballymurray he brought the truck to a full stop.
And I gladly got out in front of Finneran’s shop.

I was hoping some familiar people would be in the place,
But of my neighbors and old friends, there wasn’t a trace.
So after exchanging greetings and some seasonal talk,
I went outside once more and started to walk.
Images of warm rooms and fires jumped in my head,
I was many miles from Dublin and my warm bed.

I never thought four miles walking could be so far,
And on those four miles, there wasn’t even one car.
There was no moon or stars the night was so black,
A catfight sounding like Banshees gave me a panic attack
That eight-hour journey home bad memories invokes,
But it was worth it all at Christmas to be with my folks.